YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Passengers taking the Patriot Express and other military hops face the same new restrictions applied to commercial flights in the United States and other countries following the terrorist threat in the United Kingdom, a Yokota Air Mobility Command official said.
Master Sgt. Ray Ortiz, the noncommissioned officer in charge of passenger services for the 730th Air Mobility Squadron, said updated airport screening procedures went into effect Friday morning at Yokota’s terminal to accommodate the directive handed down overnight by the Transportation Security Administration.
All liquids and gels are now prohibited from carry-on baggage, according to the new ban. The list includes beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel and other items of similar consistency.
Exceptions will be made for baby formula, breast milk and juice if infants or small children are traveling; prescription medicine with a name matching the passenger’s ticket; insulin and other essential nonprescription medications.
Long lines of irritated travelers snaked through terminals in the United States and Britain on Thursday as people waited hours to reach security checkpoints. Hundreds of flights were canceled.
Ortiz said U.S. military personnel could encounter similar delays at Yokota or on commercial flights out of Narita International Airport in Tokyo, if restricted items aren’t checked at ticket counters. Commercial carriers are following the same rules for flights into the United States.
“If they lean forward and get this stuff in checked luggage beforehand, it will expedite their transition … to the gate area,” he said. “It will speed up the process. If they have to reconfigure and reorganize luggage when they get here, it will slow things down.”
Airlines are advising passengers on international flights to arrive at the airport three hours before their scheduled departure to allow for increased security screening.
Questions or concerns about the new TSA travel restrictions can be directed to AMC passenger terminal agents at DSN 225-5661 or on the Web at www.tsa.gov.
